2-40 [January, 1843. 



in this country. There are, besides, duplicates of many of these volumes, 

 which the Academy could, without doubt, exchange for scientific works, 

 or dispose of in some other way. 



The meetings of the Society have been held with great regularity during 

 the year, at the stated periods, without a single exception, and have been 

 characterised by ample evidences of zeal and interest in the cause of 

 science. Many valuable original papers have been presented, most of 

 which have been published either in the Journal of the Academy, or in 

 its Proceedings, and have contributed still further to advance the high 

 character of our Institution. 



The Second Part of the 8th Volume of the Journal was issued about the 

 middle of the year, and besides the papers referred to, contains many well 

 executed and faithful illustrations of the objects which they describe. The 

 Proceedings have been published at intervals of from one to three months. 

 This plan of publication was commenced early in the year 1841, and has 

 been adhered to ever since with advantage to the members and corres- 

 pondents affording them a medium for acquainting the scientific public 

 with their discoveries and observations without delay. 



Several prominent members have had in view for some time past the 

 reduction of the annual contribution to one-half its present amount, and 

 have only been prevented from bringing the subject before the Society, 

 for its action, from a conviction that its best interests would be consulted 

 by deferring it until something more definite and certain was known re- 

 specting the amount of reduction which would be effected in the remaining 

 debt of the Academy during the present year. An effort will then be 

 made at the earliest practicable period to accomplish this object, which, it 

 is believed, is desired by a large majority of the members. 



From the statement thus given of the operations of this Society during 

 the past year, it is hoped that the assertion made at the beginning of this 

 report, that its present condition is flattering, will not be considered as 

 having been premature or unfounded. 



With no other debt remaining, except the one just referred to and that 

 in the way of reduction at an early period, and to such an extent as, after 

 its accomplishment, to admit of the Society's appropriating annually a 

 considerable portion of its income to the scientific purposes of the Insti- 

 tution with a list of nearly one hundred and fifty contributing and resi- 

 dent members, and of three hundred and seventy domestic and foreign cor- 

 respondents, mostly zealous in aiding the Institution, and in promoting the 

 objects for which it was founded, it is not hazarding too much in express- 

 ing the belief that by a steady continuance of these efforts, and a prudent 

 management of its financial concerns, its prosperity must henceforth be 

 permanent. 



Twenty-five years only have elapsed since this Institution was incor- 

 porated. It is therefore still in its youth. In that time it has advanced 

 from comparative unimportance, to a consequence and standing which the 

 most sanguine of its founders could scarcely have anticipated. To the 

 industry, talent, zeal and liberality of many of its members, is this to be 



